Fluid memory apparatus



Aug. 30, 1966 E. M* @ALE 3,269,650

FLUID MEMORY APPARATUS Filed Nov. 27, 1964 :N3 BY CLM/@MM 7n vATTORNEY 3,269,650 FLUID MEMORY APPARATUS Bernard M. Gale, Clearwater, Fla., assiguor to Honeywell Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 414,338 5 Claims. (Cl. 23S-201) This invention pertains to fluid devices, and more particularly to fluid binary memory devices.

The recent development of fluid logic components and fluid computer systems -has created a demand for permanent binary data storage devices activated by a fluid medium. The applicant has provided a unique fluid memory element having an enable input, which makes it especially suited for use with simple accessing circuitry in fluid memory systems. The applicants fluid memory element also includes fluid diode and thereby possesses a sense output characteristic which precludes inter-ference with the output of other memory elements connected in parallel. Data stored in the element may be preserved indefinitely without the use of standby power. The construction is such that inexpensive production is obtained 'with a minimum number of parts of simple shape which are fabricated from moldable and formed materials.

T he scope of the invention will become apparent from a study of the accompanying specification and claims in conjunction with the drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded view of the applicants uid memory device; and

FIGURE 2, the cross sectional view of the assembled liuid memory device.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 2, reference manual generally depicts a iiuid memory element. A generally rectangular cover plate 11, a generally rectangular block 12, and a generally rectangular bottom plate 13 are provided. As illustrated in FIGURE 2, cover plate 11 and bottom plate 1-3 are attached to block 12 by suitable means (such as screws or adhesives) not shown. Thus assembled, cover plate 11, block 1-2, and bottom plate 13 collectively dene a housing which is identified Iby reference 15. In the embodiment illustrated, housing 15 has a parallelepiped channel formed therein. The sides of a channel 20 are `defined by an opening 21 through block 12. The top surface 22 of channel 20 is formed by cover plate 11. The bot-tom surface 23 of channel 20 is formed by bot-tom plate 13. An enable passage 30 is provided within housing 115 and is in communication with channel 20. Enable passage 30 intersects bottom surface 23 of channel 20. An interrogate passage 31 is provided within housing 15 in communication with channel 20. Interrogate passage 31 intersects bottom surface 23 of channel 20.

A vent passage 32 is provided Within housing 15 and is in communication with channel 20. Vent passage 32 intersects top surface 22 of chamber 20. A sensing passage 33 is provided within housing 15 and is in communication with channel 20. Sensing passage 33 intersects top surface 22 of channel 20.

A zero input passage 35 is provided within housing 15 and is in communication with channel 20. Zero input passage 35 comprises a conduit 36 through cover plate 11 and an opening 37 in block 1.2. A one input passage 4l) is provided Within housing 15 and is in communication with channel 20. One input passage 40 comprises a conduit 41 in cover plate 11 and an opening 42 in block 12.

A shuttle means 50 is positioned Within channel 20. In the particular embodiment illustrated in FIGURES l and 2, shuttle means 5l) takes the shape of a parallelepipedon. Shuttle means 50 comprises an upper portion 51 and a lower portion 52. Upper portion `51 forms the upper surface `53 and the ends of shuttle means 50.

United States Patent O 3,269,650 Patented August 30, 1966 f. ICC

Lower portion 52 forms the lower surface 54 and the sides of shuttle means 50. Upper surface 53 of shuttle means 50 is positioned contiguous to surface 22 of channel 20. Lower surface 54 of shuttle means 50 is positioned contiguous to bottom surface 26 of channel 20. Shuttle means 50 is slideable rwithin channel 20 from a zero position (illustrated in FIGURE 2) to one position. Shuttle means 50 is in the one position in channel 20 when it is displaced to the left as viewed in FIGURE 2 so that it is adjacent to surface 24 of channel 20.

A pair of chambers 55 and 56 are formed Within shuttle means 50. There is no Huid communication between chamber 55 and chamber 56.

An enable aperture 60 is provided within shuttle means 50 and is in communication with chamber 55. Enable aperture 60 is located in .bot-tom surface 54 of shuttle means 50. Enable aperture 60 has a larger area than enable passage 30. Consequently, enable aperture 60 is in communication with enable passage 30 both when shuttle means 50 is in the zero position and when the shuttle means 50 is in the one position (see FIG- URE 2).

A .diode aperture 61 is provided within shuttle means `50 and is in communication with chamber 56. Diode aperture 61 is located in lower surface `54 of shuttle means 50. Diode aperture 61 has an area substantially equal to the area of interrogato passage 31. Consequently diode aperture 61 is in communication with interrogare passage I31 only when shuttle means 50 is in the one position (see FIGURE 2).

A vent aperture 62 'is provided in shuttle means 50 and is in communication with chamber 55. Vent aperture 62 is located in upper surface 53 of shuttle means 50. Vent aperture 62 has an area substantially larger than the are-a of passage "32. Consequently, vent aperture 62 is in communication with vent passage 32 both when shuttle means 50 is in the one position and when shuttle means 50 is in the zero position (see FIGURE 2).

A sensing aperture 63, is provided within shuttle means 50 and is in communication with chamber 56. Sensing aperture 63 is located in upper surfacek53 of shuttle means 50. Sensing aperture 63v has an area substantially equal to the area of passage 33. Consequently, sensing aperture 63 is in communication with sensing passage 33 only when shuttle means 50 is in the one position (see FIGURE 2).

Locking means 70 are provided for shuttle means 50. Locking means 70 includes a first groove 71 and a second groove 72 located in bottom surface 23 of channel 20. Locking means 70 also includes a resilient member 73 having a right angle cleat 74 on one end thereof. Resilient member 73 is positioned between upper portion 51 and lower portion 52 of shuttle means 50. In this position, member 74 extends a short distance out of shuttle means 50 through an opening provided therefore. Cleat 74 is positioned Within groove 72 in FIGURE 2. Locking means 70 functions to lock shuttle means 50 in either the zero position or the one position.

In operation, zero input passage 35 and one input passage 40 are connected to the proper signal source. Enable passage 30 and interrogate passage 31 are connected to a liuid signal source. Sensing passage 33 is connected to a suitable register.

Shuttle means 50 is illustrated in the zero position in FIGURE 2. In the zero position, a pressure pulse through interrogate passage 31 will be stopped by the bottom surface 54 of shuttle means 50. Thus, no signal is transmitted to the sensing passage 33, thereby indicating a zero position to the register.

To write one into memory element 10 a pressure pulse must first lbe applied to enable passage 30. The pulse is communicated through enable Iaperture 60 to the resilient member 73 `covering aperture 60'. The pressure pulse forces member 73 in an upward direction, as viewed in FGURE 2, thereby lifting cleat 74 from groove 72 thereby disabling locking means 70 and unlocking shuttle means 50. Shuttle means 50 is now free to move within channel 20. A pressure pulse is applied tol one input passage 40 forcing shuttle means Sti to the left against surface 24. The pressure pulse yapplied to one input passage 40 :may either be coincident with or slightly delayed from the pressure pulse applied to enable passage 30. At the end of the enable pulse, cleat 74 of member 73 eX- tends downwardly into groove 71 in bottom surface 23 of chamber 20. Shuttle means 50 is now locked in the one position. In the one position, enable passage 30 is in communication with enable aperture 60 and vent passage 32 is in communication with vent aperture 62. In addition, interrogate passage 31 is in communication with diode aperture 61 and sensing passage 33 is in communication with sensing aperture 63.

To read the information out of memory 1t), a pressure pulse is applied to interrogate passage 31. The pressure pulse in interrogate passage 31 is conveyed to diode aperture 61 and forces member 73 in an upward direction, as viewed in FIGURE 2, uncovering aperture 61 and allowing the pulse to enter chamber 56. The pressure pulse from interrogate passage 31 is conveyed from chamber 56 through sensing aperture 63, through sensing passage 33, and into the register connected thereto. A pressure pulse appearing in sensing passage 33 indicates a one condition.

Memory element must be connected in parallel with other mem-ory elements identical thereto in most applications, All of the elements are capable of reading information into the same register. Thus, provision must be made to prevent the pressure pulse in sensing output passage 33 from being exhausted ybaclr through other meinory elements connected in parallel. The applicant has solved this problem by covering diode aperture 61 with member 73. This design functions as a `fluid diode permitting fluid flow in only one direction through element 10. More specifically, member 73 of locking means 70 allows flow into chamber 56 through diode aperture 61 and prevents iiuid How out of chamber 56 through diode aperture To write zero into memory element 10` a pressure pulse is again applied to the enable passage 30A which forces member 73 upwardly, unlocking shuttle means 50 as previously described. A pressure is then applied to zero input passage 3S forcing shuttle means 5t) to the rig-ht, as viewed in FIGURE 2, to its original position. Shuttle means 50 is illustrated in FIGURE 2 in the zero position. At the end of the pressure pulse in enable passage 30, cleat 74 moves downwardly into groove 72 locking shuttle means 50 in the zero position.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that the description is by way of illustration and example only it is not to be taken by way of limitation. The scope of the invention is limited only by the terms of the attendant claims.

I claim:

1. A fluid memory element comprising:

a housing, said housing having a parallelepiped channel therein, said channel having a top surface and a bottom surface;

an enable passage within said housing in communication with said channel, said enable passage intersecting said bottom surface;

an interrogate passage within said housing in communication with said channel, said interrogate passage intersecting said bottom surface;

parallelepiped shuttle means having a first surface and a second surface thereon, said shuttle being positioned within said channel with said first surface contiguous to said top surface and said second surface 4l contiguous to said bottom surface, said shuttle means being slideable from a first position to a second position within said channel;

a first chamber and a second chamber within said shuttle means;

an enable aperture through said second surface of said shuttle in communication with said first chamber, said enable aperture being in communication with said enable passage when said shuttle is in said first position and when said shuttle is in said second position;

la diode aperture through said second surface of said shuttle in communication with said second chamber, said diode aperture being in communication with said interrogate passage only when said shuttle is in said second position;

a diode aperture through said second surface of said shuttle in communication with said second chamber, said diode aperture being in communication with said interrogate passage only when said shuttle is in said second position;

locking means, said locking means including a first groove and a second groove within said bottom surface of said channel, said locking means including a member normally extending out of said shuttle, said member coacting with said first groove so as to lock said shuttle in said first position, said member coacting with said second groove so as to lock said shuttle in said second position, said locking means being disabled in response to fluid flow through said enable passage and said enable aperture, said locking means allowing fluid flow into said second chamber through said diode aperture and preventing fluid flow out of said second chamber through said diode aperture;

a vent aperture through said first surface of said shuttle in communication with said first chamber, said vent aperture being in communication with said vent passage when said shuttle is in said first position and when said shuttle is in said second position;

a sensing passage within said housing intersecting said top surface, said sensing passage being in communication with said channel;

a sensing .aperture through said first surface of said shuttle in communication with said second chamber, said sensing aperture being in communication with said sensing passage only when said shuttle is in said second position;

a first input passage wit-hin said housing in communication with said channel, the unlocked shuttle being placed in said first position in response to fluid fiow through said first input passage;

a second input passage Within said housing in communication with said channel, the unlocked shuttle being placed in said second position in response to fiuid flow through said second input passage.

2. A fluid memory element comprising:

a housing, said housing having a channel therein;

an enable passage within said housing in communication with said channel;

an interrogate passage within said housing in communication with said channel;

shuttle means, said shuttle being positioned within said channel, said shuttle means being slidable from a first position to a second position within said channel;

a first and second chamber within said shuttle means;

an enable aperture through said shuttle means in communication with said first chamber, said enable aperture being in communication with said enable passage when said shuttle means is in said first position and when said shuttle means is in said second position;

a diode aperture through said shuttle means in communication with said second chamber, said diode aperture being in communication with said interrogate passage only when said shuttle means is in said second position;

locking means, said locking means including a member normally extending out of said shuttle means, said member coacting with said housing so as to lock said shuttle in said first position and coacting with said housing so as to lock said shuttle in said second position, said locking means being disabled in response to fluid flow through said enable passage and said enable aperture, said locking means allowing fluid flow into said second chamber through said diode aperture;

a vent passage within said housing in communication with said channel;

a vent aperture through said shuttle means in communication With said first chamber, said vent aperture being in communication with said vent passage when said shuttle means is in said first position and when said shuttle means is in said second position;

a sensing aperture through said shuttle means in communication with said second chamber, said sensing aperture being in communication with said sensing passage only when said shuttle means is in said second position;

a first input passage within said housing in communication with said channel, the unlocked shuttle being placed in said first position in response to fluid flow through said first input passage; and

a second input passage within said housing in communication with said channel, the unlocked shuttle being placed in said second position in response to lluid flow through second input passage.

3. A fluid memory element comprising;

means forming a channel;

an enable passage in communication with said channel;

an interrogate passage in communication With said channel;

shuttle means, said shuttle means being positioned with said channel, said shuttle means being slidable from a first position to a second position within said channel, a first and a second chamber within said shuttle means;

an enable aperture through said shuttle means in communication with said first chamber, said enlable aperture being in communication with said enable passage when said shuttle means is in said first position and when said shuttle means is in said second position;

a `diode aperture through said shuttle means in communication with said second chamber, said diode aper- -ture being in communication with said interrogate passage only when said shuttle means is in said second position;

locking means, said locking means being effective to lock said shuttle means in said first position and to lock said shuttle means in said second position, said locking means being disabled in response to fluid flow through said enable passage and said enable aperture, said locking means allowing fluid flow into said second chamber through said diode aperture and preventing iluid flow out of said second chamber through said diode aperture;

a vent aperture through said shuttle means in communication with said first chamber, said vent aperture being in communication with said vent passage when said shuttle means is in said first position and when said shuttle means is in said second position;

a sensing passage in communication with said channel;

a sensing aperture through said shuttle means in communication With said second chamber, said sensing aperture being in communication with said sensing passage only When said shuttle means is in said second position;

a first input passage in communication with said channel; and

a second input passage in communication with said channel.

4. A fluid memory element comprising:

means forming a channel;

an enable passage in communication with said channel;

interrogate passage in communication with said channel;

Va vent passage in communication with said channel;

a sensing passage in communication with said channel;

shuttle means positioned Within said channel, said shuttle means being slidable from a first position to a second position within said channel, said shuttle means being effective in said rst position and in said second position to provide communication between said enable means passage and said vent passage, said shuttle means being effective in said first position to prevent communication between said interrogate passage and said sensing passage, said shuttle means being effective in said second position to provide communication between said interrogate passage and said sensing passage;

locking means, said locking means effective to lock said shuttle means in said first position and to lock said shuttle means in said second position, said locking means being disabled in response to fluid flow through said enable passage, said locking means allowing fluid flow from said interrogate passage through said sensing passage and preventing fluid flow from said sensing passage through said interrogate passage;

a first input passage in communication with said channel, the unlocked shuttle being placed in said first position in response to fluid flow through said first input passage; and

a second input passage in communication With said channel, the unlocked shuttle being placed in said second position in response to fluid flow through said second input passage.

5. A fluid memory element comprising;

means forming a channel;

an enable passage in communication with said channel;

interrogate passage in communication with said channel;

a sensing passage in communication with said channel;

shuttle means positioned within said channel,

said shuttle means being slidable from a first position to a second position within said channel, said shuttle means being effective in said first position to prevent communication between said interrogate passage and said sensing passage, said shuttle means being effective in said second position to provide communication between said interrogate passage and said sensing passage;

locking means, said locking means being effective to lock said shuttle means in said first position and to lock said shuttle means in said second position, said locking means being disabled in response to fluid flow through said enable passage, said locking means allowing fluid flow from said interrogate passage through said sensing passage and preventing fluid flow from said sensing passage through said interrogate passage;

a first input passage in communication with said channel, the unlocked shuttle being placed in said first position in response to fluid flow through said first input passage; and

v a second input passage in communication with said channel, the unlocked shuttle being placed in said second position in response to fluid flow through said second input passage.

References Cited bythe Examiner I. H. Meier: Pneumatic Diode, IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 5, No. 11, April 1963, page 34.

D. I. Truslove: Hydraulic Memory Device, IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 6, No. 3, August 1963, pages 32-33.

RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner. LEO SMILOW, Examiner. TERRY J. ANDERSON, Assistant Examiner. 

4. A FLUID MEMORY ELEMENT COMPRISING: MEANS FORMING A CHANNEL; AN ENABLE PASSAGE IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CHANNEL; INTERROGATE PASSAGE IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CHANNEL; A VENT PASSAGE IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CHANNEL; A SENSING PASSAGE IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CHANNEL; SHUTTLE MEANS POSITIONED WITHIN SAID CHANNEL; SAID SHUTTLE MEANS BEING SLIDABLE FROM A FIRST POSITION TO A SECOND POSITION WITHIN SAID CHANNEL, SAID SHUTTLE MEANS BEING EFFECTIVE IN SAID FIRST POSITION AND IN SAID SECOND POSITION TO PROVIDE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID ENABLE MEANS PASSAGE AND SAID VENT PASSAGE, SAID SHUTTLE MEANS BEING EFFECTIVE IN SAID FIRST POSITION TO PREVENT COMMUNICATIN BETWEEN SAID INTERROGATE PASSAGE AND SAID SENSING PASSAGE, SAID SHUTTLE MEANS BEING EFFECTIVE IN SAID SECOND POSITION TO PROVIDE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID INTERROGATE PASSAGE AND SAID SENSING PASSAGE; LOCKING MEANS, SAID LOCKING MEANS EFFECTIVE TO LOCK SAID SHUTTLE MEANS IN SAID FIRST POSITION AND TO LOCK SAID SHUTTLE MEANS IN SAID SECOND POSITION, SAID LOCKING MEANS BEING DISABLED IN RESPONSE TO FLUID FLOW THROUGH SAID ENABLE PASSAGE, SAID LOCKING MEANS ALLOWING FLUID FLOW FROM SAID INTERROGATE PASSAGE THROUGH SAID SENSING PASSAGE AND PREVENTING FLUID FLOW FROM SAID SENSING PASSAGE THROUGH SAID INTERROGATE PASSAGE; A FIRST INPUT PASSAGE IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CHANNEL, THE UNLOCKED SHUTTLE BEING PLACED IN SAID FIRST POSITION IN RESPONSE TO FLUID FLOW THROUGH SAID FIRST INPUT PASSAGE; AND A SECOND INPUT PASSAGE IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CHANNEL, THE UNLOCKED SHUTTLE BEING PLACED IN SAID SECOND POSITION IN RESPONSE TO FLUID FLOW THROUGH SAID SECOND INPUT PASSAGE. 